Entered: 11/12/2015
Status: Adopted
Age: 11 months
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 35 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Goochland, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, treatment for a severe UTI and hookworms complete, receiving an inexpensive supplement for anxiety
Temperament: Good with people as young as 10, good with other dogs, unknown with cats
Original: “Getting along well with all of the dogs, Sam is usually leading the pack when they get the zoomies and run laps through the woods!”
Sam was relinquished to MAESSR by his West Virginia owners because having a new baby in the house was a bit too much for him. With a baby in the house, Sam had many opportunities to steal things which he did not want to give back. He also had some anxiety issues when meeting new people. His family felt Sam needed to go to a home with fewer distractions and more time to work with this young Springer.
Sam’s foster family has many foster and resident dogs and Sam is having so much fun playing with them! He has a couple of special friends. One is Becky that you can see on MAESSR’s webpage. She and Sam play and wrestle together a lot. Another friend is MAESSR’s Cora who is 10 years old and was in really bad shape when she came in. Sam has livened her up. It is amazing to watch the two of them wrestle in the leaves, bringing smiles and laughter to their foster parents. Sam’s last special friend is Splash—a resident 12 pound English Toy Spaniel. What a cute pair! Adjusting his play to their size differences, Sam is very gentle with Splash. When in the yard, Sam will chase birds he encounters, wanting to run them off. He will “scent” rabbits and squirrels but does not seem to hunt them. It is unknown how Sam would be with cats and other animals.
Getting along well with all of the dogs, Sam is usually leading the pack when they get the zoomies and run laps through the woods! Playing with the garden hose with his foster mom is always a treat for Sam! Even though it may be cold outside and Sam may be soaked, he wants to keep playing! In the past he loved to play with tennis balls but his current favorite “toys” are walnut husks which are all over the yard. Sam will chase and retrieve them. What a nut! He is always up for a game of tug, too. If there are children around, Sam will run and chase them around the yard for hours. He loves to be with children!
It is clearly evident that Sam was much loved and well-trained by his original owners. He sleeps on a dog bed beside his foster parents’ bed and does very well. He is so tired at night from all of his playing that he just passes out! He LOVES to be brushed and it appears to have a very calming effect on him. Sam has only been “home groomed” but does really well; his previous owner had been able to use clippers on him and Sam willingly gives you his paw and has no problem with having his ears handled. Good boy!
Sam is good with adults although he is shy and somewhat scared at first. He needs to set his own pace when meeting someone new but he knows that he must not jump up to greet them. He had been excellent with the owner’s older boys and loved to play with them. This young boy is not a digger nor does he attempt to escape a fence. He will bark a bit if he is out of his element, though. Sam is both crate trained and housetrained. Not totally perfect, Sam has a fetish for used paper towels and worn socks and tends to resource guard these items. His foster parents are working with him on this. He really is a very sweet boy.
Sam does know several commands and is learning the hand signals for them. His repertoire includes “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “down,” and “shake.” “Heel” is still a work in progress. Sam does walk well on a leash and responds to leash corrections; he is used to a harness. He rides very well in the car where he is tethered to keep him in the back. Please note that MAESSR only places puppies (even 11 month old ones) in homes that are committed to training and bonding with the pup in obedience classes. Puppies require a lot of care, attention, and patience, and they do chew on things! The decision to get a puppy and raise it to be a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted dog is a serious commitment. To reinforce this commitment, MAESSR requires all adopters of dogs one year old and younger to enroll their puppy in obedience classes within 60 days of adoption. Sam will be a star pupil since he has had some training already! This will also be a wonderful bonding opportunity for Sam and his forever family.
How about bringing this wonderful young Springer into your family? Give him the additional training he needs and shower him with love; then, you will have a loving friend for life.